Join Me For a Floral Arranging Workshop!

Hey, friends! I'm here to share something exciting today. If you're local to Springfield, MO (or in the surrounding area), I'd love to see you at a floral workshop I'm co-hosting with some sweet friends of mine.

Here's the truth about this event: This is the second year in a row we've done it, and I learned SO MUCH last year. Charity Bennitt of He Loves Me Flowers is an incredibly talented florist with work published on Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, The Knot and more. Anybody can pick up a bunch of flowers, but it takes talent to arrange them so each stem shines. (Like.. Really, I learned so much, my centerpieces are consistently better looking since Charity shared a few of her secrets with me.)

Alex Maurer of Sangha Studio has opened her beautiful yoga studio for this event. The studio, located on C-Street, has gorgeous window lighting and plenty of good vibes, so it's the perfect venue!

If you join us on March 31, you'll learn the difference between a wide variety of stems and when to reach for each to make your centerpiece looking its finest. You'll leave with a vase and a gorgeous arrangement for your Easter buffet — all you need to bring is yourself and a pair of shears.

More event details on our Facebook page, and here are a few photos from last year's event.

Hope to see you there and learn alongside each other. xx!

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Quick Tips for Making Your Flowers Last Longer

I don't know a single person who dislikes receiving flowers. Flowers are happy! And while fresh cut blooms are relatively low maintenance, there are a few things you can do to make them last longer. Here are a few tricks I've used at home to make these pretty sprouts last a week or more:

1. Cut the stems on an angle
Typically, you'll have to give flowers a little trim before arranging them in a vase. When you do, cut the stems diagonally with a pair of shears. This maximizes the surface area of the stem that's submerged in water, and it helps the flower absorb the nutrients it needs.

2. Shears, not scissors
So this one isn't a deal-breaker if you don't have shears, but typically, florists don't recommend using household scissors on these tough stems. The reason is, classic household scissors aren't strong or sharp enough to easily cut the stems, which can lead to a poor cut — and then your bloom gets less water. On second thought, it's probably not very good for your household scissors, either.

3. Change the water frequently
This is a biggie. If you've ever washed out a vase, you know flower water isn't always the most clean or best smelling. To keep it fresh, change water every day (or at least every 2-3 days), and remove any flowers that are looking limp. You'll keep the vase's ecosystem clean and the bulbs that are blooming will last longer.

4. Use lukewarm water... most of the time
Florists usually recommend lukewarm water, but I also learned a trick from my friend Cassie at the Ozark Mtn Flower Truck. If you have a bloom that you're wanting to live a little longer, you should use cold water to revive it — even going as far as to put an ice cube or two in the vase! I had never heard that before she told me, and it has worked so well.

5. Consider flower food
If you buy grocery store flowers, or stems from a flower truck, they'll usually include a packet of preservatives — or "flower food". If you find yourself with a gorgeous set of blooms but no flower food, I read a recipe for making your own plant preservatives here. I spotted the above grocery store flowers at my friend Alex's house, and I couldn't resist taking a few photos of 'em. Too pretty!

What are your favorite flowers to keep at home? I'd love to hear. xo!

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5 Moving Tips

My roommate and I moved into a loft over the weekend! I've been simultaneously looking forward to and dreading this process. I'm so excited to be in a new place that fits our lifestyle better (we're much closer to everything, and I was going to go insane living another day in a beige-on-beige-on-beige apartment). On the other hand, moving is hard work and takes a lot of time! We moved from the third floor of our old building to the second floor in our new building, so let's just say I'm going to be avoiding stairs for a while. Anyway, here's some things I learned through the process:

1. Cover your shampoo lids with saran wrap — I read this tip on Buzzfeed and didn't use it. Long story short, my shampoo exploded all over everything, and I am full of regret. Moral of the short story: Always listen to Buzzfeed.

2. Pack the plants last — I actually made a final separate trip for the plants. Get a wide box to place them in so you don't have to worry about any delicate leaves getting damaged in the process. After all, they're living things, and you should treat living things nicely.

3. Invest in superglue — Y'know, just in case you accidentally broke the blind-twisty-wand-thing in your old apartment. You can probably just superglue it back on and pass your check out inspection without your former landlord asking any questions... Probably.

4. Rent a U-Haul — This was the single best thing we did, even though we were just moving across town. It made the day go by so much faster (which was great because we moved on one of the hottest days of the summer).

5. Get a good crew — Our moving "crew" included friends and family who helped us carry big boxes, little boxes, take apart furniture and put some together. A sweet friend dropped off daisies and another delivered the cutest housewarming gift. The best part about this crew is they'll stick with us after the move.

Let me know if you have any unpacking tips! I have a feeling I'll be pretty busy...

P.S. Photos of me and Merry by Austin Elliott of Locke + Stache Media. Photo of daisies by me. (Thanks, Megan, for our sweet move-in gift!)

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